Paper-folding device



Feb. 27, 1945. J. F. CRONIN PAPER FOLDING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 13, 1942 INVENTOR.

J OSE'PH FT CPO/VIN 5 A Trek/v5 rs Feb. 27, 1945. J. CRONIN 2,370,125

PAPER FOLDING DEVICE Filed Oct. 13, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

JOSEPH F CRON/N ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 27, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAPER-FOLDING DEVICE Joseph F. Cronin, San Francisco, Calif. Application October 13, 1942,- Serial No. 461,868

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a paper folding device, and particularly to a device for producing accordion foldsin long sheets of paper.

Blue prints and other reproductions of drawings and tracings are examples of long'sheets of paper which may be handled by the device of this invention. Many drawings or tracings are required to be reproduced on single sheets of indefinite lengths and varying widths, and in order that convenient reference may be made to these prints, and also to facilitate filing them in an orderly manner, they are given a zig-zag or accordion fold. It is customary for government agencies as well as many private concerns using prints of these sizes to require that an accordion fold of certain dimensions be placed in the print so that all prints will be uniformlyfolded for convenience in use and filing. An 11 inch fold is considered standard as is also a 17 inch fold, although on occasions other dimensions may be found desirable.

It is the object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a device for producing a neat and uniform accordion fold of a long sheet of paper, and to produce a fold of any given dimensions within prescribed limits.

A further object of the invention is the pro vision of a device of the character described in which the paper to be folded is guided in a straight path which is at right angles to the direction of the fold and to provide a device in which the folded paper may be conveniently re moved in its folded form.

Still further objects and advantages of the in- I vention are made apparent in the following specification wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating the inven tion in a preferred form.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a paper folding device embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the details of construction of a. paper clamp employed on th folding device; j

Fig. 3 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view through a portion of the paper clamp shown in F 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a folding leaf, several of which are shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of approximately one-half of the upper folding device illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring in particular to Fig. l, the device of the present invention is shown as comprising a fiat baseboard I0 which may be supported on a table or may, if desired, be provided with legs, not shown, to support it at a convenient height. Rising upwardly from the base member l0 are a pairof side frames which consist'of vertical end members II and a top member I2 preferably braced by diagonal members l3. There are two such frames spaced apart and connected by horizontal braces Id. The vertical members H are enlarged at their lower ends as shown to provide space for inclined rows of spaced holes which receive the ends of pivot rods [5 (see also Fig. 4), each of which serves as a hinge point for a panel or leaf I 6. The leaves I6 may be connected to the rods 15 in any suitable manner. as by metal plates ll, shown in Fig. 4, which may be riveted or otherwise secured to the leaves and bent around the rod 15 so as to hinge thereon. There are, as illustrated in Fig. 1, two opposed sets of the pivoted leaves l6 and they are arranged on sets of pivot rods which incline away from each other as they progress upwardly. Due to this oppositely inclined arrangement of the pivot rods, the leaves l6, when swung upwardly, may all pass just beyond a vertical position so that with the first leaf resting against the uppermost of the braces I 4 all of the leaves in both sets will remain in their upper-most positions. The lengths of the several leaves, however, vary progressively from top to bottom in each set so that when the leaves are swung downwardly, alternately, one at a time, the free ends of every leaf in a set come to rest in the same vertical plane. on top of the baseboard I0 is provided a work surface formed by a fiat board I8, to one I edge of which is fixed a paper clamp l9. When a long piece of paper is to be folded by the device. it is fed as indicated by the dotted line 20 in'Fig. 1. first through a pair of guides 2| and 22 formed across one end of the device, and then through a guide 23 which is formed of rounded pieces of wood or thelike stretched across the top frame members I2 (see also Fig. 5).

While all of the leaves are at rest in their vertical positions, the leading edge of the paper is drawn downwardly and secured beneath the clamp 19. The first leaf IS on the left side is then swung downwardly to assume the position illustrated at "in in 1. The first leaf on the right side is then likewise swung downwardly to assume the position shown at lBb. This alternate downward swinging of the leaves is continued. each leaf in its turn engaging the paper and producing in it one portion of the accordion fold which will be produced throughout the entire length of the sheet by this movement of the leaves. The left hand leaf, I60, and the right hand leaf, lBd, are illustrated in partially lowered positions which indicates the manner in which the fold is produced and the paper progressively drawn through the guides which tend to tension it during th production of the fold.

When the paper is completely folded, the clamp cated at 25 in order to reduce its thickness. The I leaves may be made of any suitable substance, but are preferably formed of a hard panel which may be metal, compressed fiber, or 'wood or the like, and in the event that this panel is rough on either or both sides, the roughness should be smoothed adjacent the folding edge to facilitate sliding the folded paper off of the leaves.

A preferred clamp construction is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 wherein the clamp I9 is shown as a bar of angular cross-section having a handle 26 projecting from the side of the device where it may be easily manipulated. The clamp is fastened to the work board It by screws 21 of which there may be any desired number, each being received in a slot 28 formed in the clamp which carries a slotted metal plate 29 disposed at an angle to the plane of the top of the board l8. Thus when the clamp is pushed inwardly by its handle 26, the engagement of the screws with the slotted plate 29 forces the clamp toward the top of the board l8 and grips the edge of the piece of paper which has been placed beneath it. When the clamp is retracted, the paper is released and the clamp is preferably cut away at an angle as indicated at 30 in Fig. 2 so that it may be rocked slightly to the left in order to facilitate insertion and removal of the paper.

As the ends of the leaves It, when they are swung downwardly, are disposed in parallel verbe provided in each piece of paper that is folded. In order to vary the dimensions of this fold, onehalf of the main frame is made adjustable with relation to the other half so that it may be drawn away from the other half to decrease the distance between the vertical planes in which the ends of the leaves are disposed. This adjustment is made possible by securing the left frame members H to the base it) through the medium of a pair of guides 3| provided with spaced perforations 32. The guides 3| are firmly secured to the base member and the vertical members II are secured to the guides by pins 33 which project through the base of the vertical member and also through the perforations in the members 3|. By withdrawing the pins .33, the vertical members may be adjusted to any desired position and resecured by inserting the pins. The toprail]! which connects the vertical members If is also made adjustable to permit this. extension of the device by being formed in two parts as clearly shown in Fig; 5, one of which parts is formed with perforations 34 through which pins 35 are inserted.

The notches 24 formed in the edges of the leaves It are preferably sufficiently long so that when the machine is extended at least a portion of the notches of the several leaves continue to register vertically to provide a space where the edges of the folded paper may conveniently be grasped for sliding it oif of the leaves.

While the present invention has been more or less specifically described herein for the purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of its several parts within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In a paper folding device opposed sets of folding leaves each set comprising a plurality of leaves pivoted on stationary axes vertically spaced in a plane inclined away from the other set.

2. In a paper folding device opposed sets of folding leaves each set comprising a plurality of leaves pivoted on axes vertically spaced in a plane inclined away from the other set, said sets being spaced sufficiently to cause their leaves to overlap, said leaves varying in length sufficiently to cause their ends to register in vertical planes when the leaves of both sets are swung about their axes to assume alternate overlapping positions.

3. In a paper folding device opposed sets of folding leaves each set comprising a plurality of leaves pivoted on axes vertically spaced in a plane inclined away from the other set, said sets being spaced to cause their leaves to overlap when swung toward each other, said leaves varying in length sufficiently to cause their ends to register in vertical planes when the leaves of both sets are swung about their axes to assume alternate overlapping positions, and means to position a sheet of paper to be folded between the sets of leaves before they are swung to their overlapping positions.

4. In a paper folding device opposed .sets of folding leaves each set comprising a plurality of leaves pivoted on axes vertically spaced in a plane inclined away from the other set, said leaves varying in length sufficiently to cause their ends tical planes, 2. fold of the same dimensions will to register in vertical planes when the leaves of both sets are swung about their axes to assume alternate overlapping positions, means to secure one end of a long sheet of paper intermediate the sets of leaves, and means to guide the sheet in a path at right angles to the axes of the leaves.

5. A paper folding device comprising a frame having opposite ends, one end of which is adjustable, a set of leaves pivoted in each end of the frame to swing between vertical and horizontal positions and arranged to overlie each other in their horizontal positions with the ends of the leaves disposed in spaced vertical planes, and means to adjust the spacing between the ends of the frame to vary the distance between the vertical planes in which the ends of the leaves are disposed. 6. A paperfolding device comprising opposed sets of paper folding leaves hinged to swing to-- ward eachother whereby the leaves from the opposed sets maybe alternatel overlapped to produce an accordion fold in a sheet of paper, one edge .of each of said leaves being notched for registry with the notches in the-other leaves when they are overlappd to provide an area where the paper may be grasped to slide it away from the leaves in its folded position.

. JOSEPH F. CRONIN. 

